Manchester City tough task

Manchester City have been left with a huge task going into the return leg of their Capital One Cup match after losing 1-0 to Everton on Wednesday night. The result once again proved City’s poor away record. City, who have won the Cup competition twice in the past broke their poor away record by edging out Watford 2-1 on Sunday.

It was the first time since September 12 that City were winning away and the result against Watford was expected to inspire them against an Everton side that has been struggling to win at home.

With Everton coach Robert Martinez enjoying an eight match un-beaten record in cup matches at Goodison Park, it was the hosts who scored first after center back Romiro Funes Mori scored at the stroke of half time.

Jesus Navas then equalized for the visitors in the 76th minute but Romalu Lukaku ensured Everton go into the second leg with an advantage when he scored two minutes later.

Lukaku’s goal means that he has now scored four times in five league matches this season while it was the first goal that Navas was scoring for City in more than one year.

For Martinez it is only the second time that he is winning against Manchester City the first time being in the final of the FA Cup in 2013.

“We’ve accumulated a terrific mixture of top professionals with probably the best most talented group of young players in English and European football” – Everton coach, Rorberto Martinez

Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini was testing his first loss against Everton having won the previous four matches and drawn once.

The team contrasts
• Everton have had the worst run of results at home so far having won just three of their 11 matches at home.
• The latest frustrating draw was a 1-1 tie against Tottenham last Sunday. Furthermore, Everton have soaked in 20 goals while playing at home.
• City on the other hand have had a bad away record. Last Sunday, they won for the first time away since September 12 after stopping Watford. But City could still look at their good record against Everton ahead of this fixture as they have won four times in five meetings with other one match ending in a draw.
• In their history in this competition, Everton can only boast of having reached the final twice in 1984 and 1977 and have never won the competition. Now that they are in the finals, will this change?

Robert Lukaku scored the goal the put his team into the second leg. Image Source: Manchester Evening News.